Cancer Registrars Keep Pace

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There are few things that we can be certain of in life today: death, taxes, and change.  And, the rate of change is speeding up – and rapidly.

In a recent article, Darren Hardy, publisher of SUCCESS Magazine, noted that by 1900 it took 150 years to double all human knowledge.  Today, it doubles every one to two years and, by the year 2020 knowledge will double every 72 days!  Just imagine our lives where information and knowledge doubles every 2.5 months.  While Hardy is referencing a global knowledge base, healthcare is also impacted by the rapid explosion of personalized medicine, genetics and vaccines that is also growing at a comparable and astounding rate.  

Cancer Registrars are profoundly impacted by knowledge doubling and keeping pace with change has already impacted cancer registration in 2010.  This speed of change demands that the cancer registrar develops the mindset and skills to rapidly adapt to change by participating in constant continuing education and professional upgrading.  In fact, keeping one’s cancer registry certification (or CTR) means school is never really over. 

Today, Cancer Registrars must develop expertise in human capital, not just reimbursement or payer habits; master emotional intelligence, not just business competence; know how to collaborate, not just control; lead their healthcare partners through networks, not hierarchies; and align people through meaning and purpose, not reports and spreadsheets.  The most successful cancer registrars will rely more on emotional and relational aptitude rather than technical, financial or even clinical expertise.    Emotional aptitude is expressed as self-awareness, self-confidence, self-management, ability to motivate oneself and others, and empathy.  Relational aptitude and skills are demonstrated by an ability to communicate, manage time, networking, team-building AND meeting the need and wants of people you interact with, and depend on, to perform your work.     

Ultimately, the cancer registrars who succeed in the next decade will be those who can adopt a continual professional upgrading program that includes clinical, relational and emotional skill sets AND develop leadership in others.  Cancer Registry leadership is not about getting others to agree with you or to follow you, but rather building leadership in everyone around you.   Cancer Registrars will do this by developing the mindset, emotional intelligence, and skill sets so everyone can lead themselves in this constantly changing environment, thus aligning and leading all healthcare partners and organizations to achieving their greater goals.   

So, it all comes down to this.  The cancer registry leaders of the next decade will be those individuals who can develop leaders and serve the needs of their healthcare partners and organizations the fastest.  Where will you be in the next decade?  Lagging behind or keeping pace?  

LEAVE A REPLY BELOW:  What will you be doing to keep pace as a cancer registry leader in the next decade?   

Michele Webb creator of the only monthly, online cancer registrar continuing education program, http://www.RegistryMindset.com, is a nationally recognized, certified cancer registrar, committed to Cancer Registry leadership and professional education as a coach, mentor, motivational speaker and author.  You have permission to repost this article as long as do not alter it in any way and give a link back and credit to the author on this website.